AP Psychology (learning module)

Definition: learning that certain evetns occur together. The events may be two stimuli (as in classical conditioning) or a response and its consequences (as in operant conditioning) Researchers: Aristotle, John Locke, David Hume Example: smell fresh cookies, eat and are satisfied, the next time you smell fresh cookies you will expect eating them will satisfy you again

Definition: learn to associate two stimuli and thus anticipate events Researcher: Ivan Pavlov Example: lightning and thunder leads to lightning and anticipation of thunder with wincing

a relatively permanent change in an oranges behavior due to experience

Definition: in classical conditioning, the unlearned, naturally occuring response to the US such as salivation when food is in the mouth Researcher: Ivan Pavlov Example: salivation in mouth due to food was unlearned

Definition: in classical conditioning, a stimulus that unconditionally (naturally and automatically) triggers a response Researcher: Ivan Pavlov Example: food in mouth automatically triggers the salivary reflex

Definition: in classical conditioning, the learned response to a previously neutral (but now conditioned) stimulus (CS) Researcher: Ivan Pavlov Example: salivation in response to the tone was conditioned upon the dog learning to associate tone with food

Definition: in classical conditioning, an originally irrelevant stimulus that, after assocation with a US, comes to trigger a conditioned response Researcher: Ivan Pavlov Example: the previously neutral tone stimulus that now triggered the conditional salivation

Definition: in classical conditioning, the initial stage, when one links a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus begins triggering the conditioned response. In operant conditioning, the strengthening of a reinforced response Researcher: Michael Tirrell (1990) Example: girlfriend liked onions so onions became associated with kissing and onion breath began to send tingles up his spine and arouse him

Definition: a procedure in which the conditioned stimulus in one conditioning experience is paired with a new neutral stimulus creating a second (often weaker) conditioned stimulus Researcher: Ivan Pavlov Example: animal that has learned tone predicts food might then learn that light predicts tone and respond to the light alone

Definition: the diminishing of a conditioned response; occurs in classical conditioning when a US does not follow a CS; occurs in operant conditioning when a response is no longer reinforced Researcher: Ivan Pavlov Example: tone sounded but no food causes salivation to stop

Definition: the reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished conditioned response Researcher: Ivan Pavlov Example: pause of several house until next tone caused spontaneous reappearing of salivation to the tone

Definition: the tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit similar responses Researcher: Ivan Pavlov Example: little Albert was conditioned to be afraid of the white rat and went on to generalize the fear to anything white, furry, or four-legged

unjustifiable negative behavior towards a group and its members

behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus; Skinner's term for behavior learned through classical conditioning.

Definition: learn to associate a response (our behavior) and its consequence and thus repeat acts followed by good results and avoid acts followed by bad results Researcher: B.F.

Skinner Example: if rewarded continue, if punished will not continue

Operant conditioning is a type of learning where behavior is controlled by consequences. Key concepts in operant conditioning are positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment and negative punishment.

Definition: Thorndike's principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely, and behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely Researcher: B.F.

Skinner (1904-1990) Study: N/A

Definition: in operant conditioning research, a chamber (Skinner's box) containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain a food or water reinforcer; attached devices record the animals rate of bar pressing or key pressing Researcher: B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) Study: used to explore the precise conditions that foster efficient and enduring learning

Definition: an operant conditioning procedure in which reinforceres guide behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior Researcher: B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) Study: reward responses close to desired behavior and ignore others to shape complex behaviors

Definition: in operant conditioning, any event that strengthens the behavior it follows Researcher: B.F.

Skinner (1904-1990) Study: N/A

Definition: increasing behaviors by presenting positive stimuli, such as food. A positive reinforcer is any stimulus that, when presented after a response, strengthens the response Researcher: B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) Example: giving you kids an allowance each week if they make their bed every day increases the frequency of the bed making because they want the allowance

Definition: increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing negative stimuli, such as shock.

A negative reinforcer is any stimulus that when removed after a response, strengthens the response Researcher: B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) Example: nagging your kids and not stopping until they make their beds increases the frequency of the bed making because they want your nagging to stop

Definition: an innately reinforcing stimulus, such as one that satisfies a biological need Researcher: B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) Study: N/A

Definition: a stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer Researcher: B.

F. Skinner (1904-1990) Study: N/A

Definition: reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs Researcher: B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) Study: N/A

Definition: reinforcing a response only part of the time; results in slower acquistion of a response but much greater resistance to extinction that oes continuous reinforcement Researcher: B.

F. Skinner (1904-1990) Study: N/A

Definition: reinforces a behavior after a set number of responses Researcher: B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) Example: maid gets a 15 minute break after cleaning 3 rooms

Definition: reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses Researcher: B.

F. Skinner (1904-1990) Example: a charity makes an average of ten phone calls for every donation it recieves

Definition: reinforces a response only after a specific time has elasped Researcher: B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) Example: getting allowance every sunday

Definition: reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals Researcher: B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) Example: watching and seeing shooting stars on a dark night

Definition: learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it Researcher: B.

F. Skinner (1904-1990) Study: N/A

Definition: a desire to perform a behavior effectively for its own sake Researcher: B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) Study: N/A

Definition: a desire to perform a behavior to recieve promised rewards or avoid threatened punishment Researcher: B.

F. Skinner (1904-1990) Study: N/A

Definition: behavior that operates on the environment, producing consequences Researcher: B.F. Skinner (1904-1990) Study: N/A

Definition: a type of learning in which the behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer or diminshed if followed by a punisher Researcher: B.

F. Skinner (1904-1990) Study: N/A

Definition: learning by observing others Researcher: Albert Bandura (1961) Study: N/A

Definition: frontal lobe neurons that fire when performing certain actions or when observing another doing so. The brain's mirroring of another's action may enable imitation and empathy Researcher: Giacomo Rizzolatti (2002, 2006) Study: makes emotions contagious such as yawning when others yawn or smiling when others smile

the view that psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes. Most research psychologists today agree with (1) but not (2).

Definition: positive, constructive, helpful behavior Researcher: Albert Bandura (1961) Example: encouraging your children to read by reading to them and surrounding them with books and people that read

Definition: possible response of observational learning Researcher: Albert Bandura (1961) Example: watch abusive parents and become abusive when you are a parent OR kids watching tv learn bad habits and get idea that violence is acceptable

the process of observing and imitating a specific behavior.